S-Clarke

http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/squad/first-team.aspx that is currently their available first team squad, they don't even have a GK atm...ashdown still hasn't signed a contract. Crazy times. and you can be sure that the likes of Utaka and Boateng (esp. with his world cup) won't be there for too much longer....and without the ability to replace an already depleted squad, surely relegation is a certainty?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11674_6289869,00.html? no more signings for the skates

Yep, no problem with people changing their minds. There are some things i think as a supporter base we have to accept, as they're trying to accelerate our growth and success - things will change, and we all know that people hate drastic changes! If they're going about it the right way is another question though. I don't have sources as such, i just know a few employees that are still at the club and they tell me it's not the nicest of places to work, the ''behind the scenes'' videos are all a bit odd too - it's like they're all forced to read off a script saying how well Cortese has done. I also knew of people that were ruthlessly got rid of a year or so ago, but i won't post that on here as I'm aware Nicola probably searches the forum, he strikes me as the sort of guy that wouldn't worry about getting it shut down if he reads something he doesn't like... but at the end of the day i just want to focus on the fottie, i like the team we have and cannot wait for Saturday, i hope we have a fantastic start and push all these stories to the back burner.

I was of that belief as well, i called him a nut-job but you had a go at me for it back then.... anyway, the jury is still open - his ideas for the club are good and the foundations he is laying are solid, but the general feeling of current employees at the club is that it can be like working in North Korea, if you get what i mean.

No we didn't. If he sacked him last season he would have been correctly labeled a complete berk.

and it also makes you realise how quickly we need competitive football to talk about!!!

We will be expected to win every game though, if we don't expect a 254 page thread, started by alpine, discussing how many new players we need and that he was right all along. This forum will be an utter nightmare this season.

That was the issue i think, the injury he suffered was a killer - Achilles i think? Don't think he ever fully recovered from it. Which is such a shame as he looked a fantastic prospect with the couple of glimpses we saw under the dutch duo.

Pard's actual comments on Saints player were: Blackmore "You said to us after the Farnborough game that you were playing a patient game on the transfer front, is that still the case with a week to go until the start of the season?" AP - ''On the transfer front, I'm not going to say anything today. I think that protects myself and the club. But we go into next week with a good performance for 65mins today with the first team, i hope we have a full house as we will need some help next week.''

It's related to this i believe from back in July - http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/8273180.Cortese_s_worries_over_league_funding/

i'm not saying i believe it, it's a load of tosh - but i thought it was topical.

there is/was a rumour doing the rounds in Nottingham that we will be getting Blackstock, but lambert will be heading there.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2051138,00.html that's all that needs to be said atm - nothing has changed since the end of last season that would have reversed those toughts, i still believe AP is on a cliff edge - i.e a few dodgy results and he's out, but i don't believe Cortese has already made his mind up otherwise he would have gone last season. ''In recent days, there has been much speculation in some of the tabloid national and local press about the position of our First Team Manager, Alan Pardew. This speculation could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to unsettle both the Club and Alan. Without exception it has been ill-informed. '' ''Both Alan and I share these objectives and targets. Although getting the football side right is a serious business, Alan and I have a lot of fun doing it and we are developing a mutual trust.''

oh ********...

On another note for those that managed to go, have they changed the seating and included stripes in the kingsland stand? just looking at the pics and can kind of see what looks like stripes.... http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/javaImages/94/60/0,,10280~8937620,00.jpg any other noticeable changes around the place? Cortese alluded to the fact that there would be St Mary's renovations over the summer.

Ok then alps, question. What in your eyes is an acceptable outcome from the Plymouth game? Would you take a slow-paced, scruffy 1-0 win?

Hang on alps, you've just made that up. We delivered much more than was initially promised last season. Surely we delivered much more than you believed too, as you had us down for a 16-18 finish.

That is such a silly way of looking at it. now let's see who left - Lloyd James - Replaced by Butterflied and Richardson Simon Gillett - wasn't anywhere near the team and wouldn't have played if he was here, but we do need an extra CM. Oliver Lancashire - wasn't anywhere near the team and his departure has allowed Rancie and Tazfoli (sp) to come into the team Chris Perry - He was really replaced by Fonte/Seaborne in january - he didn't get a look in after that Wayne Thomas - " " Graeme Murty - injured and crocked, + we signed 2 more RB's. Jamie White - no where near the first team, no loss Michael Poke - no where near the first team, no loss Jon Otsemobor - not very good, replaced by 2 good players Jake Thomson - no where near the first team, no loss Kayne McLaggon - no where near the first team, no loss Tom Dunford - no where near the first team, no loss Jack Boyle - no where near the first team, no loss. So what's the problem? I guess the 15 players out figure just makes your argument look much more dramatic, when in reality the majority of the players that left wouldn't get into a L2 team.

i no longer have a clue what you're on about.

he has access to his diary, and instead of looking for players the pillock is off out to a BBQ tonight.

Go and ask the people who attended the game how that starting 11 acquitted themselves against top half championship team reading.

but the people who don't attend the game have a better understanding and perspective of the performance and result.

Ah good, that's put my mind at rest

here you go again, it's fair having a point of view - but you are making wild assumptions like you have exclusive access to Pard's and Corteses diary. How do you know there has been no attempt? seriously, how do you know what is going on? you don't, i don't, no one knows - only the people in charge.

but can you see the point he is making? losing 4 key players out of your team is unlucky, and it will weaken anyone no matter how many transfers you have/or will make. No 2 ways about it.